Geoffrey Gilmore Brings 2009 Sundance Favorite to Film School

Gilmore discusses industry trends

Film School Distinguished Lecturer Geoffrey Gilmore brought a Sundance favorite to Tallahassee right on the heels of the festival, and months ahead of its theatrical premiere. Gilmore, a leading authority on independent cinema and director of the Sundance Film Festival for 19 years, screened 500 Days of Summer at FSU's arts festival Seven Days of Opening Nights. He also held a lecture and discussion, just for Film School students, centered on the current state of the movie business, and the difficulties and opportunities it presents.

Screenings like this are part of the mission of the Film School’s Torchlight Program, which was designed to teach students the business side of the motion picture business. Paul Cohen, a veteran executive in independent film, and director of the Torchlight Program, explained, “This is a very important part of our program: to provide students an opportunity to experience firsthand the merging of art and commerce in the context of the film industry.” Torchlight has been bringing films to the big screen in Florida and Tallahassee, thus expanding local appreciation for independent film, and giving students a chance to understand the distribution process from the inside out. He added, “This is an example of an independent film that will receive national distribution. And it’s great that Geoffrey brought this particular film, because it is the kind of work that can reinvigorate viewers’ notions about what a romantic comedy can be.”

The film, 500 Days of Summer, is an ultra-hip modern day love story peppered with allusions to classic films. The day after the screening, Gilmore conducted a Q&A with the film’s energetic director, Marc Webb, again for the benefit of Film School students. Webb, a popular director of hit music videos, spoke frankly about the challenges of directing his first feature film, and fielded questions from students. He describes the story as, “What happens when the life you expect collides with the life you encounter.” Gina Papabeis, a BFA film student, echoed the feelings of her fellow students when she raved about the film and about the opportunity to have a class with its director, “The movie is phenomenal, and learning about how it was made gave me an even greater appreciation for what he has accomplished.”

“These kinds of events breed generations of success,” said Frank Patterson, dean of the Film School. “One year soon, Geoffrey will bring one of these students to discuss her own festival hit with a future class.”